November catch-all ♫

[traceofeffort]

⭐ Who: Lisa and ticketed attendees- wait, no, she didn't issue tickets, it's just everyone.
⭐ When: November, perhaps with backdated stuff as needed?
⭐ Where: Around town! Maybe in the Dream Sphere too, we'll see where things take us.
⭐ What: A certain bassist has Some Things on her mind and may require distractions. She still hasn't entirely wound down from the last Disturbance, but there are some... other issues also cropping up.
⭐ Warnings: Lisa-typical spirals, though it might be a bit worse than usual this month... Otherwise check headers, but should be fine.

Comments

[traceofeffort]

[It is, in turn, impossible for Lisa to miss her senpai apparently seeing her down a school hallway, her holding what looks remarkably like yakisoba pan as she turns and just. Blinks. Blinks again, taking in Ai literally having stepped off a magazine cover and calling her name? Seriously, what is her life? If you'd shown her a video of this moment two years ago she'd... well, briefly have been intensely jealous of the fake-her in the video, and then laughed it off to go sulk somewhere out of the way.

Instead she shifts the snack to one hand and waves with the other, mood brightening through the surprise on her face. Even if this is Promised Morning and Ai's here on a diplomatic mission, she's still not going to call her name, not over a crowd, so-]

Senpai! I wasn't expecting to see you! Well, except maybe to visit some of the other kids. [Lisa you're only nineteen, don't even-] But... yeah. I have a lot of happy memories of this place, and I wanted to see what my underclassmen are up to, you know?

[liedol]

[ She laughs merrily. ]

Culture Day's as good an excuse as any to come visit, right? [ She gives Lisa a grin. ] For both of us. Promised Morning's not exactly my department but I like dropping by to see how things are going when I can.

[ It's the perfect excuse to see Ruby at school, too - it's been years since it was safe for her to come to school events for her or Aqua, but now she has a good smokescreen. ]

How's everyone doing? Apart from missing you to bits, obviously.

[traceofeffort]

Hey, it's important, yeah? And you're good for morale anyway. I know I get excited to see you. And it's not even my school anymore!

[And the grin on her face suggests that's not to butter her up. Even if it dims a little at Ai's prompting.]

Seems like everyone's carrying on fine. Most of my friends here graduated at the same time I did, and half my kouhai started here after I left. I have a few people left to drop in on, though, and I'm soaking up the vibes in the meantime. And the food. [Nom. Only a small bite though, gotta be polite.] I'm sure you've got a whole list of people to see, yeah?

[liedol]

[ Ai's smile takes on a complicated edge, too. ]

It's a little weird seeing them doing fine without you, huh? Not that you want them to be struggling or anything, but there's a little part of you that's like... [ She trails off and wrinkles up her nose a bit. Lisa probably gets it. ] I remember feeling like that when I left B-Komachi. They did really well without me but it still felt a little weird.

[ It was better for all of them that she'd gone and knowing that had been part of what had made the decision for her, of course. But still... ]

I'm a free bird today, actually. This is technically my day off, actually... [ said with a guilty smile. ] So I'm just enjoying myself. I haven't been by the school in forever.

[traceofeffort]

-yeah. I'm happy everyone's doing okay, I just... I dunno. I wasn't exactly expecting a me-shaped hole, but. Yeah. [Even the forbidden ancient idol lore doesn't quite pull her out of the ponderous mood.] Nothing stays the same forever, does it?

[But indeed, the conversation moves on, and Lisa visibly pushes herself to set it aside, some cheer returning.]

You're just Ai-san today then, huh? Well, there's certainly plenty to do. Although you're going to attract a lot of attention! You're looking good, senpai.

[liedol]

[ Ai laughs and allows herself to preen just a little, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. ]

It's not bad, right? I can't exactly take credit, though. A stylist put it together for me for... gosh, what was it? An interview? A shoot? [ She makes a dismissive little hand gesture. ] Something where I was on camera for the DU, anyway. I just thought it looked nice and sharp, so I bust it out whenever I need to.

[ It's not her job to pick the outfits, after all. Just wear them. ]

Want to walk around with me a little if you've not got plans, then? [ She gives Lisa a little nudge with her elbow. ] I wanna see where you used to hang out while you were at school!

[traceofeffort]

But the idol definitely makes the outfit. [She says, as Ai seems to sparkle in front of her.] It totally wouldn't look as good on me. I'll take my nice, comfy, cozy stuff any day. [A pause, and her smile quirks.] Or whatever I'm supposed to be wearing as Rhodonite. That looks... better than I would have thought.

[But she shakes her head. Lisa on this side doesn't have need for a fancy outfit like that - who's she performing in front of? Junna? Maybe a crowd of friends and DU colleagues, if she sticks with it? Eh. It's fine.]

Sure! No plans here. I don't know if my hangouts are going to be anything exciting, but I can definitely show you around.

[liedol]

Well, the Dreamer makes the outfit, right? [ Shamelessly turning Lisa's words right back on her and with a wink to boot... ] I think if you like something and you wear it with the right kind of vibe, it'll usually look good on you no matter what it is.

[ That's maybe not the kind of message her sponsors would like her to send about fashion, but if she's the DU's role model, it's the only kind of message she's interested in sending these kids. ]

It'll be exciting for me. Don't forget, I never had a chance to go to school here! [ or high school in general, for that matter. ] So getting to see what it was like for you guys is fun enough for me.

[traceofeffort]

[The sparkle! It burns...! Well, no, not really, but she can't really argue with the logic when it's turned back on her.]

Maybe, senpai. Maybe. It's also way beyond my ability to make, at least right now. Something to work toward, perhaps.

[Not that she even knows where to start... well, she'll get there.]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, I'll see what I can do, then! If I can even find the classroom again... Either way, though, we'll have a nice, fun walk around.

[liedol]

Sounds good to me! You can show me off to all your old classmates and make them super jealous, too.

[ She's got a mischievous gleam in her eyes, but her smile's warm. ]

Want to grab a little snack or something to drink while we're walking around? My treat.

[traceofeffort]

Ahaha... sounds like a plan. [She's not... excited by the prospect. Ai is a real Big Deal, it's just Lisa that isn't.] I'd like that, then. Maybe just a drink, though? I definitely didn't trust my classmates' cooking when it was me serving, and I can't imagine it got much better since then. This was already a... measured risk, let's call it.

[As she speaks, she turns and gestures down a hallway with the yakisoba pan; Ai had found her in the third-year hallway where Lisa so vividly remembers, uh. Stressing over things a lot? That hasn't changed much with time, although she has more constructive coping mechanisms now than "stand in an empty classroom and stare into space".]

My classroom's right down this way, we can start there?